Apparatus for the regeneration of catalyst for use in the conversion of hydrocarbons



Dec. 19, 1950 G. F. KUHN 2,534,778 APPARATUS FOR THE REGENERATION 0F CATALYST FOR USE IN THE CONVERSION OF HYDROCARBONS Filed June 21, 1947 To FRACTIONATOR 0 L V* a s I g HOPPER 9 CATALYST LEvEL I SLIDE VALVE FLUE GAS I- .n' FLUE GAS STEAM AND SPENT CATALYST SPENT CATALYST FROM REACTOR sLloE VALVES SLlDE VALVES I 24 INVENTOR GEORGE E KUHN Patented Dec, 19, I950 OFFHCE APPARATUS F1933; THE REGENERATION OF CATALYST FOR USE IN THE CDNVERSION 0F EYDROCARBUNS George F. Kuhn, Sinclair, Wye assignor to Sinclair Refining Company, New York, N. Y., a

corporation of Maine Application .l'nne 21, 1334?, Serial No. 756,289

2 Claims.

This invention relates to pyrolytic conversion of hydrocarbons and more particularly to pyrolytic conversion processes involving the use of catalysts.

In the conversion of hydrocarbon base stocks to produce products having desired properties, such as high octane number for use in gasoline, the stock is submitted to one of several processes, such as cracking, hydrogenation, dehydrogenation, etc., in the presence of a catalyst.

In my copending application Serial No. 756,288, filed June 21, 1947, I have disclosed and claimed a process in which spent fluid catalyst is conveyed by air to a container or hopper arranged over the regenerating chamber and the air, after separation from the catalyst by gravity, is delivered to the bottom of the regenerating chamber. The catalyst, flowing downwardly through the regenerating chamber by gravity, moves counter-current to the air which is delivered to the bottom of the regenerating chamber.

The operation of the present invention is an improvement over the process disclosed in said application in that the spent catalyst is conveyed to the container or hopper over the regenerating chamber by steam, the conduit, through which the steam and spent catalyst passes, acting as a stripping leg. The catalyst settles to the bottom of the chamber and the steam and stripped vapors are removed through a cyclone separator to fractionators. The catalyst is then delivered by gravity downwardly through the regencrator in counter-current flow to air delivered to the bottom of the regeneratcr.

The invention comprises apparatus consisting of a regenerating chamber with a hopper or container for the catalyst over the re enerating chamber, a delivery pipe connecting the two, a conduit to deliver steam and spent catalyst to the hopper or container, and means for deliver ing air to tl e bottom of the regenerating chamber.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown, more less diagrammatically in vertical sec ticn, an organization of apparatus forming suitable embodiment of the invc tion.

Referring to drawing, the nui designatzs a regenerating chamber which is constructed in any suitable manner and is preferably provided with a firebrick lining rents A pipe 5 communicates with the container 2. Spent catalyst from the reactor is delivered to the ipe 5 through a pipe 6 having a valve or valves i arranged therein. superheated steam is delivered to the pipe 5 from any suitable source and the spent catalyst is conveyed into the container by the flow of steam. The end of pipe 5 within the container may be flared as indicatcd at 8. The pipe 5, between its end 8 and its junction with the pipe 6, is preferably of a suitable length, as shown, to act as a stripping leg for stripping oil from the spent catalyst.

As the catalyst, steam and oil vapors enter the container 2, the catalyst falls by gravity settling in the bottom of the container, as indicated at E}, and the steam and oil vapors pass through a cyclone separator I!) to pipe I! through which they are conveyed to fractionators or other apparatus. Air is delivered to the regenerator adjacent the bottom through a pipe 52 and the end of this pipe is flared as at l3 and provided with a grid M. A series of substantially conical grids l5, I6 and I! are arranged within the regenerating chamber, the grids being preferably alternately reversed, that is, the grids l5 and ii having their bases at the bottom and the grid it having its base at the top. The grid is is provided with a central opening it to permit catalytic material passing over this grid to fall upon the grid 15. One or more cyclone separators is are arranged in the upper part of the regenerating chamber and are connected to pipes as for discharge of flue gas. The catalyst passing through the regenerator collects in the bottom. The bottom of the regenerating chamher is preferably frusto-conical as indicated at 22 and is connected to a discharge pipe 23 having a valve or valves 24 therein.

In the regeneration of catalyst in the apparatus herein illustrated, the spent catalyst from the reactor in finely divided form is delivered from pipe 6 to pipe 5 by opening valves 1. Steam passing through the pipe 5 conveys the spent catalyst to the top of the container 2 and in passin through the pipe 5 the catalyst is stripped of oil vapors by the steam. In container 2 the catalyst settles to the bottom, as indicated by the dotted line 53, and the oil vapors and steam pass through the cyclone separator ID to the pipe H.

Catalyst accumulated in the container 2 is fed into the top of the regenerating chamber by opening valve 6. The catalyst flows by gravity through the regenerating chamber in counteri .flow to air admitted through pipe l2.

The distributing grids I5, I6 and I! provide intimate mixing of the catalyst and air and thus promote regeneration. The flue gases created by burning of the carbonaceous material on the catalyst particles passes through the cyclone separators l9 into the discharge pipes 20. The, regenerating catalyst accumulates in the bottom 22 of the regenerating chamber. It is removed by opening the valves 24 permitting the catalyst to flow into the pipe 23 whence it is conveyed to a reactor for reuse.

I claim:

1. Apparatus of the character described comprising a vertically elongated regenerating chamber, a second chamber positioned at an elevation higher than that of the regenerating chamber, an elevator conduit leading to the upper chamber and adapted to convey a suspension of finely divided catalyst in steam thereto, a conduit leadin from a lower zone of the upper chamber into the center of the upper end of the regenerating chamber and adapted. to the gravitation of catalyst therethrough, a perforated conical bafile positioned in an upper zone of the regenerating chamber and having its apex di rectly below the conduit entering the upper end.

of said chamber, conduit means for delivering air to a lower zone of theregenerating chamber and conduit means for withdrawingcatalyst from REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,398,759 Angel1 Apr. 23, 1946 2,414,852 Burnside et a1 Jan. 28, 1947 2,440,620 Tafi Apr. 27, 1948 2,440,623 Voorhees Apr. 27, 1948 2,444,128 Anderson June 29, 1948 2,465,255 Moorman Mar; 22, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 574,892 Great Britain Jan. 24, 1946 

1. APPARATUS OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING A VERTICALLY ELONGATED REGENERATING CHAMBER, A SECOND CHAMBER POSITIONED AT AN ELVATION HIGHER THAN THAT OF THE REGENERATING CHAMBER, AN ELEVATOR CONDUIT LEADING TO THE UPPER CHAMBER AND ADAPTED TO CONVEY A SUSPENSION OF FINELY DIVIDED CATALYST IN STEAM THERETO, A CONDUIT LEADING FROM A LOWER ZONE OF THE UPPER CHAMBER INTO THE CENTER OF THE UPPER END OF THE REGENERATING CHAMNBER AND ADAPTED TO THE GRAVITATION OF CATALYST THERETHROUGH, A PERFORATED CONICAL BAFFLE POSITIONED IN AN UPPER ZONE OF THE REGENERATING CHAMBER AND HAVING ITS APEX DIRECTLY BELOW THE CONDUIT ENTERING THE UPPER END OF SAID CHAMBER, CONDUIT MEANS FOR DELIVERING AIR TO A LOWER ZONE OF THE REGENERATING CHAMBER AND CONDUIT MEANS FOR WITHDRAWING CATALYST FROM A LOWER ZONE AND GASEOUS PRODUCTS OF THE REGENERATION FROM AN UPPER ZONE OF THE REGENERATING CHAMBER. 